You Picked the Wrong Girl a McRoll in the REALWorld Story bySammy&Mari
by Mari217
Summary: A threat meant to control Steve has the opposite effect.
1. Chapter 1

_Mari's Notes: Sammy and Ilna - love you guys, always._

_Sammy, I always adore our co-writes. Your brilliance and ability to think in plotlines is a thing of beauty. xo_

_RealMcrollers & Readers: Thank you for the love and support. Hugs to you all!_

_Sammy's Notes: Mari & Ilna-you guys are the absolute best! Thank you for everything! _

_Always love the co-writes._

_REAL Worlders-you guys are awesome. Thanks for all the support and encouragement._

* * *

**You Picked the Wrong Girl (1/2)**

Jen poked her head into Catherine's office and whispered, "Knock, knock." as her boss was finishing a call.

"...August fifth, ten o'clock. The governor and I look forward to it." Glancing up, Catherine waved her assistant in as she ended the conversation with, "Have a good day." Once the connection was broken, Catherine smiled. "What's up?"

It was close to lunchtime and she was hoping nothing had come up that would cut into her light afternoon. She wanted to get home early, cook dinner, and spend a relaxing evening with Steve and Angie.

"This was just delivered." Jen passed her an envelope. "If you don't need me for anything else, I'm meeting a friend for lunch."

"No, I'm out in five minutes." She ran a finger under the envelope flap and smiled at the younger woman. "Thanks."

"Awww," she said aloud as she read the short note from a senator that had visited the previous week. Catherine had escorted her on a tour of the tutoring program Elizabeth was instrumental in getting off the ground. The woman was so impressed she'd already formed a committee back home to start a similar program.

As she tucked the note into her purse to show her mother later, Catherine's desk phone rang with an unknown number on the caller ID. She picked up the handset as she locked her top desk drawer. Her eyes widened, then narrowed as she listened to the clearly altered voice.

"_Tell your husband to back off."_

"Excuse me?"

"_He's sniffing around where he doesn't belong. Stop him. Or he'll be sorry."_

She reached down and pressed the small panic button on the underside of her desk. It was a system put in place so any member of the governor's staff could immediately alert security that there was an issue.

"I don't direct Steve's investigations. And if you think threats are the way to go, you don't know my husband."

"_I didn't threaten him. You're not listening, Lieutenant. I said tell your husband to back off …"_ he paused before continuing, "_or I'll come after you."_ His tone was menacing even filtered through the altering device. "_If you don't get him to close the case, I'll kill you. And your kid."_

Even though she wasn't afraid, that wasn't Catherine, hearing anyone threaten Angie made her pause for a millisecond. She needed to locate and obliterate the threat and she was calculating her next move even as she spoke.

"Liste…" she began, but the caller was gone after saying, "_If you tell him I called, I'll come for him, too. Just use your influence to get him to stop investigating NOW!" _

By the time Catherine returned the phone to its cradle she was face to face with two very large, very well-armed sheriff's deputies. She quickly recounted for them exactly what had happened and what the caller said.

"I'll get with the switchboard and the phone company and see if we can find out where the call came from," one of the deputies said before turning and leaving the office.

"I need to call my husband," Catherine told the other deputy who she knew from around the building. His name was Hal McKean. He was ex-navy and had been with the sheriff's department for 7 years. He had a wife and two teenage daughters. "Then I need to go pick up my daughter."

"We can send a deputy to pick up your daughter but I'm afraid I'm going to have to insist you stay here until we make a preliminary assessment of the situation," Hal replied. "We treat all threats with the utmost seriousness."

Catherine was tempted to argue with him but she knew it wouldn't do any good. The procedures for what happened when a government official was threatened had been put in place for a very good reason. Even though this threat appeared to involve Steve's work life and not her own there were still rules that needed to be followed.

She nodded as she picked up the phone and dialed.

* * *

"_What?!"_ Steve's voice went from his normal tone to Commander McGarrett in mission mode instantaneously.

"The voice was altered with some kind of electronic device so I can't be 100% certain but I believe it was a man. He threatened if you didn't stop the investigation, he'd kill me…" She took a breath, knowing the reaction her next words would cause. "And Angie."

"_He's fucking dead."_ There was not an ounce of question that he meant every syllable.

"He also said if I tell you, he'd come after you." She relayed. "So clearly he's scattered. He's trying to cover too many bases with too many angles. Controlling me by threatening you. And knowing the best way threaten you is through me and Angie."

"_Dead,"_ Steve repeated, almost to himself. "_Stay where you are. I'm going to make arrangements for Angie then I'll meet you there. Do not leave until I get there."_

Catherine looked at Hal who had positioned himself just inside her office door. "I don't think you have to worry about that."

* * *

Twenty-five minutes later Esther's car pulled into the condo parking lot escorted by an unmarked police car. A slightly shaken Esther stepped out and reached in the back seat to unbuckle Angie. Once the toddler was out of her car seat Esther gave a voice command and Cammie bounded out followed by Scout.

"Thanks for getting here so fast," Steve said as he approached her.

Angie spotted Steve and yelled "Dada!"

"They were on a playdate," Esther explained as she gave both dogs the sit command. "I was gonna drop Scout back at the Williams' but I didn't want to take the time since it sounded urgent I get here right away."

"That's fine." Steve leaned over and petted both dogs.

"Is everything ok?" Esther asked worriedly. She was used to the unpredictability of both Steve and Catherine's jobs but a call telling her to get Angie ready and not to leave the house until a police escort had arrived was unusual even for them.

"I'm sure it will be." Steve kissed Angie's cheek. "Thanks again for getting here so quick. I know I kind of dumped a lot on you without any real explanation. Truth is I don't even have all the facts myself at this point."

"Not a problem." Esther tickled Angie's tummy, causing her to giggle and squirm.

"I just want you to know how much it means to both Catherine and I to have someone watching over Angie when we can't be there that we trust completely and who we know can keep her head in emergency situation," Steve said sincerely.

Esther blushed. "Thank you. If there's anything else you need me to do, let me know."

Steve nodded. "I will."

Angie spotted Danny across the parking lot talking to an HPD officer. "Daaa-nnnno!" she squealed.

"Do you want the officer to escort you home?" Steve offered.

"No, I'm good," Esther told him. "I'm headed to the shrimp truck. Should I take Scout with me and drop him off?"

"No, that's ok. I'll take care of it," Steve said.

After she left Steve and Danny entered the condo explained the scant details they knew to Joseph and Elizabeth. Steve bounced his daughter on his hip as he did his best to keep his tone light. She was a very intuitive child and the last thing he wanted was for her to feel his tension and anger.

"Catherine is safe," he assured them. "She's at her office. I called security and they guaranteed me there are sheriff's deputies with her."

"Do you have any idea who made the call?" Elizabeth asked.

"Not yet but I promise you, we will soon," Steve said resolutely.

Joseph could tell Steve was itching to get to Catherine so he cut right to the chase. "What can we do?"

"Can you keep an eye on Angie and Cammie until we get a better idea of exactly what's going on?"

"Of course we can," Joseph and Elizabeth said in unison.

Elizabeth held out her arms to her granddaughter. "Why don't you and I go see what Grandma Ang is doing in the kitchen?" she cooed.

Steve kissed Angie's cheek then smiled gratefully at Elizabeth. "Mommy and I will be back to pick you up as soon as we can. Meanwhile, you have fun with Ama and Apa and Grandma Ang."

"O-ay." Angie went willingly into her grandmother's arms. "Wuv oo. Bye-bye."

Steve waved at her as she and Elizabeth disappeared around the corner then turned back to Joseph. "I've set up a security perimeter plus I've got an officer outside your front door and one just off the patio. If you need anything at all just let them know."

"I'll guard her with my life," Joseph said sincerely.

Steve placed his hand on his father-in-law's shoulder. "I know you will. I'll let you know as soon as we have any more information."

Danny cleared his throat. "Listen, I was wondering … Gabby's not home tonight and I really don't feel right about Grace being home alone while all this is going on …"

"We'd love to have her for however long is necessary," Joseph said without reservation. "Does someone need to go to your house and pick up some clothes for her?"

Danny shook his head. "Under the influence of your lovely daughter and this animal," he hitched his thumb towards Steve, "She has prepared a go bag that she keeps in her car at all times. So she's good to go. I'll text her and tell her to come straight here after school. "

Joseph smiled. "We'll set an extra place for dinner."

"Thanks," Danny said. "I'll have one of the officers run Scout home."

"Don't be silly." Joseph waved him off. "We'll be glad to have him too."

"I owe you," Danny said as he and Steve headed for the door.

"That's what family does," Joseph called after him.

* * *

As Steve and Danny approached Catherine's office they were stopped by an armed sheriff's deputy. They knew almost everyone in the department but the muscular man in front of them was someone they'd never seen before.

"I'm sorry. This area is off limits," the young deputy said sternly as they approached.

Danny, afraid that Steve was going to blow up at the idea of anyone trying to keep him from Catherine, whispered, "He must be new. He doesn't recognize you yet."

"My name is Steve McGarrett," Steve said calmly. He pulled back his shirt to show his badge then reached into his pocket for his wallet and produced his ID. "Catherine Rollins is my wife."

"Oh … of course … I'm sorry, Sir. I was told you were on your way. I apologize for …"

Steve cut the young man off. "No need to apologize, Deputy. I'd much rather the people guarding my wife in a situation like this err on the side of caution. Keep up the good work."

"Thank you, Sir." The young man beamed as he stepped aside so Steve and Danny could pass.

As soon as he entered the chief-of-staff's office Steve made a beeline for Catherine and wrapped her in a tight hug. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine. I'm more angry than scared," she answered. "Is Angie ok?"

"She's at the condo with your folks. There's a squad car at every entrance to the complex and an officer outside their front and back doors."

"Good." Catherine knew that Steve would move heaven and earth to find the caller and identify the threat, she would too. In the meantime it eased her mind to know Angie was somewhere where not only would she be physically safe but where she'd feel happy and loved.

As soon as he assured himself Catherine was ok he turned to look at the other people in the office. There was Lea, her head of security, Max O'Neill, the sheriff Alan Kaholo, the head of the governor's IT department, Raoul Simosa, an investigator from the Prosecuting Attorney's office, several deputies both in uniform and in plain clothes, and Duke.

"What do we know about who made the call?" he asked.

"We're working on it," Raoul reported. "All calls that come in through the main phone system are logged. This call came in at 11:56:10. It appears as though it was made from a cellular device which is great news for us. Makes it easier to track."

"This new phone system is state of the art," Lea explained. "We're one of the first government offices to have it installed. There's no need to keep callers on the phone to achieve a trace anymore. It's meant for situations just like this."

"Great." Steve ran his hand through his hair. "How long until we have an ID?"

"Well it's not quite that simple," Max said. "It depends on a lot of factors."

Steve's jaw tightened. "What's your best estimate?" Anyone who knew him well could see the telltale signs of how angry he was. The ramrod straight back, the coiled muscles in his hands and arms, the vein pulsating on his forehead. Truth be told though, Danny was surprised by how calm his partner's outward appearance was. There was a day when he would have been yelling and screaming at everyone in sight.

"Impossible to say but it shouldn't be more than a couple of hours tops," Raoul replied.

"The quicker the better," Steve told him.

"Maybe we can come at this from another angle while we're waiting for an ID on the number," Max suggested. "The man, we're assuming it was a man anyway, wanted you to drop an investigation. What open cases does Five-0 have right now?"

Steve took a deep breath. "We have two open murders. One of them is gang related. The other we're still investigating but it's looking more and more like a domestic incident. We made multiple arrests last week in a drug sting. We're still working on getting more names there. That's about all that's really active right now. We have a bunch of cases waiting for trial."

"I got the distinct feeling it was an more of a current investigation than something awaiting trial," Catherine said.

"What's your confidence level that we're looking for a man?" Steve asked Catherine.

"Seventy-five percent," she said without hesitation. "Even with the alteration it definitely sounded like a male voice."

"Anyone made any threats of any kind directly to you or to anyone on your team?" Lea asked.

Steve and Danny both said, "No."

"While we're waiting for the ID on the caller why don't we head over to Five-0 and look through your active files for any likely suspects," Sheriff Kaholo offered. "My office can provide any additional manpower needed to check them all out."

"Sounds good," Steve agreed.

"I'm coming too," Catherine said adamantly. She looked at Steve. "Don't try to stop me."

"I wouldn't dream of it," he responded. "But you're not going out in the field under any condition. You're staying at headquarters. Max, Sheriff Kaholo and Lea will all back me up on that."

She looked at the three people all nodding in agreement.

"Fine, but when you bring the guy in, I have a few things to say to him."

* * *

Angie was happily napping on the sofa in the condo den, where she'd dozed off next to Smokey with Cammie by her side. Grace was seated on the loveseat, laptop open, doing homework as Scout curled at her feet. Looking up when Joseph entered, she closed the computer and said, "One more, you guys can start a doggie daycare."

He smiled, saying, "Don't stop on my account, honey." as he waved at the laptop.

"I'm done. Last essay for the year. I just have studying and finals."

"Amazing." Joseph shook his head. "Where'd the year go? Although… Jacob was just saying it's a looong time til summer vacation starts."

"Danno says time moves faster the older he gets," Grace smiled at her dad's musings as she and Joseph both focused on Angie, who'd murmured, "Ahh de Apa hmm?" in her sleep. "I can't believe she's almost two," the teen said as she placed her laptop in its case and checked her phone.

Joseph nodded. "No word yet?"

She shook her head. "I didn't really expect …" Her eyes met his and she shrugged.

"I know, honey. They'll catch whoever this is soon. In the meantime, you know we love having you. Even under unusual circumstances."

"I do." Grace rose and hugged him. "Thanks. And I totally get why Danno feels better with me here. Gabby's not home from the North shore til tomorrow and even if he was coming home tonight, he doesn't want me in the house alone."

A lifetime of being a cop's daughter was written in every word. Joseph recognized the maturity that he'd seen often; not only in Catherine, but in so many military kids in general. "With you here and safe, he can concentrate on the case." He pointed to the toddler who was stirring from her nap. "Just like Catherine and Steve."

"Apa, me …" Angie began until she spotted her cousin. "Gwace, me ah bah, cookie? Apa, cookie?"

Grace moved to lift the little girl and kissed her cheek. "I think someone wants a cookie. It's almost dinner time, Angie. I think your grandma's maaaaaking…" she drew out the word, "hotdogs!" Isn't that yummy?

"Cookie?" Angie was wide awake now and tilted her head at her grandfather.

"After your hotdog, you can have two cookies, how does that sound?" Elizabeth appeared in the den, wiping her hands on a dish towel.

"Ama, cookie?" She confirmed.

"Two." Elizabeth held up as many fingers. "Promise. But after your hotdog. Grace is going to eat dinner with us, won't that be fun?"

"Yay!" The arm Angie didn't have around her cousin flew up with the word, making everyone smile.

* * *

Catherine was standing alone at the smart table going over all the names in Five-0's open case files, again, looking for any detail that might have been missed, when the call from the head of the governor's IT department, Raoul Simosa, came in.

Steve, Danny, Chin, and Kono were out beating the bushes for information on who might have made the threatening call along with several sheriff's deputies and every available HPD officer.

Except for the two Steve had insisted stay behind at headquarters to keep an eye on Catherine. They had split up the list of names involved in open cases starting with the people who faced the most jail time and working their way down.

She answered the call hoping this was the information they'd been waiting for.

It was.

They had a name.

The phone was registered to Innocence Watkins.

Catherine chuckled to herself. 'That's ironic.'.

She immediately dialed Steve.

"_Everything ok?_"

"Better than ok. We have a name."

"_We're on our way back."_

* * *

**\- tune in Wednesday for the conclusion!**


	2. Chapter 2: You Picked the Wrong Girl

_ANs in Ch. 1_

* * *

**You Picked The Wrong Girl  
****2/2 by Sammy & Mari**

"Awl g'ne." Angie pushed her plate away and clapped.

"It _is_ all gone. That's Grandma's big girl." Elizabeth kissed her head. "And now you can have your cookies."

"I'll get them, Aunt Elizabeth," Grace offered as she gathered dishes along with Joseph.

"Thank you, sweetheart. Top shelf on the left."

"Cookie, cookie, cookie," Angie chanted happily as her grandmother wiped her hands. "Ama Ang, ah me cookie."

"That's right, angel, because you're such a good girl, you're having cookies." She leaned in from where she was seated on Angie's other side and whispered. "I may have a cookie or two myself." And kissed the little cheek.

When the family had finished a dessert of coffee cake and cookies, Elizabeth brought Angie in for a bath and Joseph took each dog in turn out for a short potty break, complete with their own HPD escort.

When Grandma Ang sat on the sofa Grace went to join her. As they sat side by side the teenager placed a hand over Ang's. "They'll catch the guys," she said with a smile.

"I know they will, honey," Ang said with complete confidence. "Especially with my Catherine backing them up."

"I get how you're all still getting used to knowing about cases in real time, I just … I can't say don't worry, but I don't want you to worry too much, okay?" She kissed the senior's cheek and was pulled into a hug.

"You're an amazing young lady," Grandma Ang whispered before they broke the embrace. "I'll promise not to worry too much if you do." She held out her hand to lighten the mood.

Grace nodded and took Ang's hand in both of hers. Just as she let go, her phone dinged a text.

Checking it, she smiled. "It's Danno, they're on their way back to HQ, Auntie Cath has a lead."

* * *

Thirty minutes later the entire team had reassembled at headquarters along with Duke, Sheriff Kaholo, and Frank Kaewa, who had been briefed on the situation.

"What have you got?" Steve asked.

Catherine swiped a driver's license and an arrest record up onto the overhead screens. "Innocence Watkins. Not exactly aptly named. She's 26 years old and has been arrested 13 times. Nothing violent. Possession, prostitution, a few minor assaults. Mostly against johns who got rough."

"Any connection to one of our open cases?" Kono asked.

"Not directly." Catherine swiped again and the pictures changed. "But according to her social media accounts Innocence has a boyfriend named Johnny Ray. He's quite a charmer. Has a record as long as my arm. Owes back child support to three different women. Just got out of Halawa Correctional Facility a month ago after serving five years for assault with a deadly weapon. His last year in he had a cellmate named Billy Ortega."

"Why does that name sound familiar?" Chin asked.

Catherine put a new set of documents up on the screen. "He's one of the street level sellers you arrested in the drug sting last week."

"He's sitting over in lockup as we speak," Duke said. "He's a real piece of work. He fancies himself a real jailhouse Clarence Darrow."

Frank Kaewa checked his notes. "I know exactly the guy you're talking about. We offered him a deal last -three years in exchange for the names of his suppliers. It was a gift for a guy with a record like his."

"I'm guessing he didn't take it?" Danny surmised.

"He gave me the old 'snitches get stitches' line," Frank said. "I figured after he has a few days to think about things, like how if he doesn't cooperate he's looking at ten to twenty, it might loosen his lips."

"So Billy Ortega wants to try to threaten his way out of jail but he can't make the call himself," Danny said. "So he calls up his old cellmate and hits him up for a favor. What's in it for Johnny Ray?"

"That will be one of my first questions after we pick him up," Steve said, his fists clenched at his side "Do we have an address for Johnny Ray?"

Ortega was clearly the brains of the operation, such as it were, and Steve would deal with him later, but for right now he had one objective. Find and neutralize the man who had called and threatened Catherine and Angie.

"Looks like he's been staying with Innocence since he got out," Catherine said. "She has an apartment on Pua Street. They hang out a lot at a bar down by the docks. He also has a brother that is mostly homeless but sometimes stays in a meth den down on Hotel Street. I'm texting everyone all three addresses."

Sheriff Kaholo looked his watch, then at the screen, then back at Catherine. "You dug up all this information in thirty minutes?"

"Actually, it only took me twenty minutes," Catherine said matter-of-factly as Steve beamed at her with unabashed pride. "The other ten I spent waiting for you guys to get back."

* * *

"I feel compelled to remind you that you can't kill the guy on sight," Danny said as he and Steve headed for the apartment building where Johnny Ray had been staying since his release from prison.

"He threatened Catherine," Steve growled. "And Angie."

"And we'll make sure he pays for that." Danny kept his tone calm and even. "But you getting yourself into hot water for roughing him up ... or worse … isn't going to help anyone. The goal is to get all three of you back home safe and sound as soon as possible."

Steve kept his eyes focused straight ahead. "I can't let anyone get away with threatening my family."

"He won't get away with it." Danny braced himself against the dash as Steve took a corner without braking. "If Catherine was here you know full well she'd be telling you the same thing."

Steve passed the car in front of him on the crest of a hill causing Danny to slam his eyes shut momentarily. "Catherine's not here."

"Do you want me to call her?" Danny asked as he pulled out his phone. "Because I will."

Steve changed lanes again. "I hate you."

"I know."

"Can I at least break his nose?" Steve asked hopefully.

"If he resists at all," Danny acquiesced. "I mean accidents do happen."

Steve thought for a minute then nodded as they turned into the apartment building's parking lot. "I can live with that."

* * *

Much to Steve's disappointment Johnny Ray did not resist arrest and both he and Innocence Watkins were transported to HPD without incident.

"I'm tellin you you got it all wrong," Johnny said cockily as he sat across the table from Steve and Danny in Interrogation Room 1. "I didn't call nobody. You can check my phone."

Because Catherine couldn't positively identify the voice as either male or female they'd brought in both Johnny Ray and Innocence Watkins. Catherine was down the hall trying to convince Innocence to come clean before she found herself in even hotter water.

"You used your girlfriend's phone," Steve said.

"What girlfriend? I ain't got no girlfriend," Johnny scoffed. "I'm a free spirit. A man like me can't be tied down to one woman. I got girls all over the island."

Danny rolled his eyes. "That's not what we hear."

Johnny leaned back. "Well you hear we even know how many different guys Innocence has been lending her phone to. Could be anybody. All I know is I didn't call nobody. For all I know it was her that made the call. That bitch is crazy."

* * *

"I'm not sure you understand what your boyfriend has gotten you involved in," Catherine said patiently as she sat across the table from Innocence Watkins.

"I didn't do nuthin'," Innocence insisted. "I told you I didn't call nobody and I didn't make any threats."

"I believe you." Catherine folded her hands on the table in front of her. "But you let your boyfriend use your phone and that connects you to the call. For all we know he's down the hall right now trying to put this all on you."

"Johnny wouldn't do that to me," Innocence insisted with an air bravado.

Years of questioning suspects had trained Catherine to look deeper. What she saw was a frightened young woman who had most likely never had anyone extend her a hand up in her life. She made her way through every day doing whatever she needed to do to survive. Which put her in the orbit of a lot of losers like Johnny Ray.

"Are you sure?" she asked. When Innocence couldn't look her in the eyes Catherine continued. "How long have you known him?"

"Three months," Innocence said softly. "I met him when I went to Halawa to visit my brother."

"Did you know he has four kids he doesn't support? Or that he was serving time for assaulting his last girlfriend with a baseball bat?" Catherine kept her tone soft. In spite of everything she had compassion for the woman across the table from her. There was a level of sadness and desperation in her that told Catherine she was the farthest thing from a hardened criminal. Getting involved with a thug like Johnny Ray was the last thing Innocence Watkins needed.

"He told me it was just a disagreement that got out of hand."

"She took five dollars out of his wallet while he was sleeping to go to the store and get milk for their baby." Catherine opened the case file and showed it to Innocence. There was a photo of the badly beaten victim right on top.

The young woman winced and looked away but said nothing.

"Did he tell you why he wanted to borrow your phone?" Catherine pressed.

"He said he needed to make a call for his friend Billy," Innocence admitted. "Said it was no big deal but he needed to use my phone just 'cuz I don't got no connection to Billy. Said the cops were too stupid to figure it out."

Catherine closed the folder. "Did he tell you who he was going to call?"

"Some cop's wife." Innocence repositioned her arms to try to relieve some of the discomfort caused by the handcuffs. "Tell her they need to drop the investigation." Her lips turned up in a sad smile. "I guess it didn't work."

"No." Catherine shook her head. "It didn't."

"Am I going to jail?"

Catherine took a deep breath. "I'll talk to the prosecuting attorney and tell him you were very cooperative."

"Thanks," Innocence replied. "I got a regular job. I've been working at a laundromat for almost two months. I'm trying to be better."

"I'll see what I can do," Catherine promised.

When she exited the room she saw Frank Kaewa in the hall. "Any luck?" he asked. The first thing they needed to do was establish clearly who made the call.

"She definitely put the phone in Johnny Ray's hands," Catherine said. "I'm gonna let Steve and Danny know."

"Excellent." Frank pulled out his phone to call his office,

Catherine took a few steps down the hall then turned back. "She's worried she's going to jail."

"She probably is," Frank said. "She has a bench warrant for failing to pay the fines on her last prostitution arrest."

"She was really helpful to me," Catherine said sincerely. "Plus I don't think she's a bad person. She's just never had a break. I looked up her history. She went into foster care at 5 years old after her father killed her mother then himself. She had 13 different placements before she turned 18. She aged out of foster care with absolutely nothing and six months later was her first prostitution arrest."

Frank shook his head. "What are you? Her defense attorney?"

Catherine smiled. "Just offering my opinion."

Truth is, over the years Frank had learned to trust Catherine's gut. When she advocated for someone to get a second chance, or even a third, the person was usually deserving.

"I'll see what I can do about finding a program for her," he said.

* * *

Catherine tapped lightly on the door to Interrogation Room 1 then stepped in. She made eye contact with Steve and held a brief non-verbal conversation.

"Your girlfriend gave you up, Johnny," she said matter-of-factly. "She says you were the one that made the call."

"She lyin'," Johnny insisted.

Catherine shook her head and leaned nonchalantly against the wall. "I don't think so."

"I take care of her." Johnny Ray puffed out his chest. "No way she gonna turn on me."

Catherine approached the table and threw down a manila folder. "I showed her a picture of the last woman you took care of." She opened the folder to reveal his battered and bruised ex-girlfriend. "She was a lot more willing to talk after she saw this."

"You didn't have no right to show her that," Johnny raged.

Catherine leaned over the table, eyes blazing. "I had every right. Just like she had every right to know who you really are."

"You don't know nuthin' about who I really am." Johnny Ray stared her down but if he thought he was going to intimidate Catherine he had picked the wrong girl.

"You're the kind of low-life loser who beats and threatens woman and children." Catherine's voice was steady but her tone was unmistakably dangerous.

Steve stood and leaned menacingly over the table. "And now we have all the evidence we need. You're going back to jail."

Johnny Ray smirked. "For what? Some punk ass phone call? What am I gonna get? 90 days for harassment? I can do that easy."

Steve chuckled then shared an amused look with first Catherine, then Danny. "Try twenty years."

"Twenty years?" Johnny bark laughed. "You're crazy. Six months at the most."

Steve sat back down and pinned the man with a glare. "You threatened the chief of staff to the governor of Hawaii in her government office on her government phone, moron. You're looking at hard time. The Department of Homeland Security is gonna want to talk to you, too."

"Department of Homeland Security?" Johnny pounded his hands on the table. "No way."

"It's domestic terrorism." Steve leaned back in his chair now that it was clear Johnny Ray was about to crack. "They'll put you in a hole so deep no one will be able to find you."

"I didn't know nuthin' about any of that," Johnny said, his confident veneer completely gone. "I was just given a number to call. Nobody said nuthin' about Homeland Security. Those guys don't play."

"Who gave you the phone number?" Steve thundered.

Johnny took a deep breath, clearly trying to decide what to do next. "Billy Ortega's old lady. She dropped off the number plus $2,500 cash for my trouble."

"That didn't take long," Danny snorted. "So much for loyalty."

"I'm loyal but I ain't doin' twenty years for nobody." Johnny began rocking back and forth in his chair. "Billy said even if I got caught I'd do a few months at the most and he'd make it worth my time."

"I think you need to stop taking legal advice from an idiot like Billy Ortega," Steve said. "He was offered a deal by the prosecutor last week. He was gonna get off easy. Instead he pulled something like this and bought himself a whole world of trouble."

"They wanted him to snitch on his suppliers and he figured if he does that he'll get killed in the joint," Johnny said. "He thought getting the case dropped would take care of that."

Steve and Danny shared a look. The logic of criminals never failed to amaze them.

"He's gonna wish he'd just turned over the names of his suppliers by the time I'm through with him," Steve ground out.

"And I'm gonna be watching you like a hawk," Catherine told Johnny. "If anything happens to Innocence Watkins, or any other woman who is unlucky enough to cross your path, I'll personally see to it that you serve the rest of your miserable life in jail." She picked up the file and turned to leave." Oh and by the way, as soon as you're done answering whatever charges you get related to this incident you have an appointment with a judge about your back child support. That money Billy paid you is going to your kids."

Steve and Danny followed Catherine into the hall.

"For a minute there I thought you were gonna pop him in the nose," Danny said.

Catherine smiled. "Believe me, I was tempted."

"Me too," Steve said as he dropped an arm across her shoulders.

Danny shook his head and grumbled, "A perfect matched set."

* * *

"Mama, Dada? Wan' Cookie," Angie announced the moment the family entered the beach house.

They'd picked up the bathed and pajama-clad toddler along with Cammie, thanked Elizabeth, Joseph and Grandma Ang and said their goodbyes to Grace and Danny in the condo's parking lot. The sleepy toddler had dozed in the truck but upon entering the living room woke and asked for her favorite food.

Steve and Catherine shared a look. The release of the day's tension had left them tired, but their daughter's request for the simple treat had them smiling at it's normalcy.

"You know what, baby girl?" Steve said as he kissed the soft cheek of the little girl who was watching him expectantly. "You can have a cookie. Even though you had them at dinner, because I seriously doubt Daddy could say no to anything you ask right now."

Wanting to make sure her daddy was agreeing, Angie placed a little hand on each of his cheeks and repeated, "Me cookie?" with a head tilt and expression that were one hundred percent Catherine's.

The laughter that bubbled up in his chest at Angie's tenacity had Catherine laughing as well, and Cammie dancing around their feet. "Yes, cookies for Angie." He confirmed and kissed her again.

"Doggie cookies for Cammie, too," Catherine added and Angie cheered.

"Yay! Cookie!"

"C'mon, sweetheart, let's get a cookie and then we'll have your story." Catherine took her from Steve as he moved to give Cammie a potty break. Smiling softly at each other when they simultaneous uttered, "Meet you upstairs."

* * *

Closing the book and kissing Angie's head, Steve whispered, "Goodnight, baby girl."

Catherine stood from where she was seated on the toddler bed and they watched her for a long moment after tucking her in.

As Steve wrapped an arm over Catherine's shoulders and hers wound around his waist, she murmured to the dozing toddler. "Someday I tell you a story how Daddy eradicated a threat in nine hours today. Because no one threatens our family."

"And someday Daddy will tell you exactly how Mommy zeroed in on the threat, because she's one hundred percent right." Smiling into a kiss, Steve looked into his wife's eyes as he addressed her. "And how Ortega picked the wrong girl."

THE END

_Thanks for reading!_

* * *

_Find all our stories (in chronological order!) on our website: __**marirealmcroll dot wixsite dot com backslash real-mcroll**_

_Or in the McRoll in the REAL World community here on fanfiction dot net __**Find us on Tumblr: mcrollintherealworld dot tumblr dot com**_

_You can join our mailing list by __**emailing us realmcroll at yahoo dot com**_ _with: Add me, please! in the subject line. Or just drop us a line to say hi! We love hearing from our readers._

_And find me on Twitter asking your opinions on all things McRoll in the REAL World! at Mari21763 and add #REALMcRoller _


End file.
